This may have been posted elsewhere but it's from Andy's Facebook and dated 15 May -

"Had a hit with Dolgopolov on the clay in Rome yesterday, all is good, early to bed last night, 2nd up today against Granollers."

No hint of a problem there, so are we now looking a new injury or a sudden unexpected aggravation of an existing condition? Also there are reports that the injury is to his hip and not his back.

All a bit confusing really - but I think Andy should forget about RG. Given that a decision won't be made until Wednesday it isn't leaving him much time to prepare for RG, if he does decide to play, where he won't have the luxury of a R1 bye, and, quite frankly, the way things have been going recently, he's so lacking in match practice on clay anyway that an embarrassingly early exit could well be on the cards, so would it really be worth all the hassle and disappointment? I know the decision is ultimately up to him, but that's just my own thoughts on the matter.

I'm inclined to go with that as well especially as it's since been reported that Lendl still has his seat reserved on a flight to Paris on Wednesday, although obviously it's easier to cancel at the last minute than cancel and then try to book another convenient flight.Goodness knows why Andy needs to see so many specialists though. How many opinions does he want? - and it won't help either if they're conflicting.

I think Andy is a very thorough guy, I remember how I read that he was always reading about history of tennis and wanted to understand everything about it....he probaby is the same way about any injury he has....just a detail guy

Andy was reported as saying that he would be seeing 'some' specialists on Monday and Tuesday - which I took to infer that two or more were going to be involved.

Sorry to be picky Aileen, but I think Andy's tweet just said "seeing specialists on Monday and Tuesday..." And yes he is "a detail guy". If you remember, Ross said Andy'd been finding out about everything to do with his illness/treatment etc; so naturally that is his approach for himself.

This may have been posted elsewhere but it's from Andy's Facebook and dated 15 May -

"Had a hit with Dolgopolov on the clay in Rome yesterday, all is good, early to bed last night, 2nd up today against Granollers."

No hint of a problem there, so are we now looking a new injury or a sudden unexpected aggravation of an existing condition? Also there are reports that the injury is to his hip and not his back.

Aileen given that Andy prefers not to draw attention to any physical problems I think we can read absolutely nothing into this facebook message. And while people were talking about a hip problem initially, I think that's because he appeared to be clutching his hip. But it looked to me as if it was the side of his lower back, which is exactly where I've been clutching recently with my own back problem! Back problems can manifest themselves in the area of the hip.As for too many specialits spoiling the broth, it may be that he is consulting people with very different specialisms so as to get a holistic assessment - seems perfectly sensible to me.

If you are worried about multiple experts having multiple views, you should be even more worried about picking just one expert whose view may contradict all of the other experts. At least if different experts are giving different views, you get a better feel for where there is consensus, and where they disagree and how much uncertainty there is.

I agree with you Ruthie, there is a good chance that the different experts will have their own areas of expertise, and be able to give the pros and cons of treatments within their speciality. What Andy and his team have to do is evaluate all of that different advice and how it fits with Andy's experience to date, and what he's prepared to do to get better. No option will be without consequences. Whether it's losing points by sitting on the side-lines, or risking building up problems by playing through the pain. If there were an easy, fast solution, he'd have taken it long ago.

^ I understand what you and Ruthie are saying and would agree with it - but the fact is that, if it comes down to whether to play at RG or not, then Andy doesn't have the luxury of time to mull over a variety of options, particularly with something like a chronic back problem. I know I certainly wouldn't want to be rushed into making such decisions, so surely for the moment what he needs is a straight opinion from one back specialist (and, as money is no object, I'm sure he'll be consulting with experts at the top of their profession) - yea or nay to his participation in Paris?

That would be an incredibly risky strategy. I don't see the problem with taking an extra couple of days to get a full range of expert opinion. He does have that luxury. He's one of the world's top players, so he's got a place reserved for him unless he withdraws. He's not entering qualifying, and he's not lobbying for a wild-card. The organisers might want an early decision, especially anyone trying to manipulate the draw will want to know if he's playing or not. This is probably why Andy decided to update everyone with what he's doing and the time-scales.

More than that, it's possible one of the experts saw Andy last week, but wanted to see him again today to see how much difference a few days rest made.

Ultimately, it's still going to be opinion. Even the most expensive experts are not psychic. Backs are too complicated and most back problems the experts see have nothing to do with sport, never mind tennis, never mind Andy.

It is possible you could get an expert who might say he definitely should't play RG, but I doubt you'll find any who say he's definitely OK to play.

Am a bit puzzled tbh because presumably he consulted "experts" last time this happened. If the same's recurred the advice they gave him must've been "off." Or hasn't he been obeying orders

Tennis is an increasingly physical game and with the probable exception of Fed injuries major or minor affect everyone.When I was young I was into Rugby Union and athletics and had the inevitable twinges, pains and strains. They happened ................ and what was a problem one day was not necessarily the same problem next time. Waiting to see what Andy decides, I am sure he will get advice from a few quarters but only Andy will decide.

Andy has retweeted a quote yesterday from a Twitter account called 'Sports Quotes', It reads:

@Sports_Quotes'I'm better than I was yesterday, but not as good as I will be tomorrow'

It's funny this retweet, could it have anything to do with the injury and the upcoming announcement? Maybe it could be good news? It may have no relevance but the timing seems to suggest it could well have something to do with the announcement tomorrow, and a good thing at that.

Am a bit puzzled tbh because presumably he consulted "experts" last time this happened. If the same's recurred the advice they gave him must've been "off." Or hasn't he been obeying orders

See, the problem I have is the word recurred, although I know the media have persisted in using it. The way I see it, and of course I could be wrong, is that it isn't that the problem hasn't recurred, because it never went away.

What Andy has now is a chronic injury that has been aggravated by playing on clay. That doesn't mean that any advice/treatment he had last year didn't work at that point. It could mean, and I emphasise could, that something else, a different approach maybe, could now be required.

I don't think it's entirely down to Andy not obeying orders, or rather, not accepting the guidance of specialists. Doctors aren't in a position to give orders, their job is to treat and advise. Doctors have to work with what they know at that point to diagnose and treat, if possible. Andy, with his team, can do all the treatments they advise, take the pain meds etc, or whatever. However, he is a sportsman in a very competitive, high-powered sport, and he plays at the highest level possible. That means he has to practice, he has to play, even on the surface that really doesn't help the problem, unless of course he skips the French and decides somehow that next year he will not play the clay season. I think the latter is unlikely unless Andy really has to take that step. It would be a big step to take.

It seems to me, at least from what we know, that Andy is either looking for a permanent solution to the problem, or he is looking for ways of managing it better. I hope, either way, he finds it, because playing when you are in pain can't be fun.

Andy has retweeted a quote yesterday from a Twitter account called 'Sports Quotes', It reads:

@Sports_Quotes'I'm better than I was yesterday, but not as good as I will be tomorrow'

Whatever way you look at it, whether he is using it to refer to the injury or not, it is a positive message to send out. I'm encouraged by it, because it suggests he's not letting the situation get him down. That has to be a good thing.

Am a bit puzzled tbh because presumably he consulted "experts" last time this happened. If the same's recurred the advice they gave him must've been "off." Or hasn't he been obeying orders

Strange you should say that BBH because it occurred to me too that he did say last year he had consulted 'top' experts and physios and been reassured that he could carry on playing without aggravating the problem (albeit with the help of injections) and that it would be properly attended to at the end of the season when he would have time to rest, so the fact that he headed off to Miami for his usual intensive winter training instead does make you wonder. Also surely he must have had an MRI scan last year as well, which leads me to hope that his near-obsession with fitness hasn't led to an exacerbation of an issue which could have been resolved in whole or in part by now.

Tennis is an increasingly physical game and with the probable exception of Fed injuries major or minor affect everyone.When I was young I was into Rugby Union and athletics and had the inevitable twinges, pains and strains. They happened ................ and what was a problem one day was not necessarily the same problem next time.

Which leads me to the other thought, i.e. that this could be a new injury, albeit perhaps tied in with the original problem. You know how it goes - one part of your body hurts so you try to get round it by putting unaccustomed strain on other parts, and then they start to hurt, which was one reason Andy said he had back spasms at RG last year. I've had that experience after tearing a tendon in my left shoulder, which meant my right arm had to do nearly all the work, and I ended up having to have physio on it as well because it was so painful.

As for Fed - he apparently had a back problem (also unspecified) for years before it ever became public knowledge, so, Nadal excluded, goodness knows what long-standing injuries other players might be battling.

Andy has retweeted a quote yesterday from a Twitter account called 'Sports Quotes', It reads:

@Sports_Quotes'I'm better than I was yesterday, but not as good as I will be tomorrow'

It's funny this retweet, could it have anything to do with the injury and the upcoming announcement? Maybe it could be good news? It may have no relevance but the timing seems to suggest it could well have something to do with the announcement tomorrow, and a good thing at that.

I'm not reading anything into that slightly ambiguous tweet because I won't believe anything until we have an official statement from Andy himself. As TJ says, though, it's encouraging that he's feeling positive about something.

Photos of Andy taken last night leaving his fave resturant, Nobu, which he visited with Dani and Ross. Whatever might be going on with his back at least it's great to see him looking happy and so relaxed.